Stranded Off The Grid
by Beth - Geek Chick
Summary: Rewrite of Off the Grid. AU. A freak accident strands Annie Walker in the log cabin of August Anderson, stranding her while the winter settles in around them.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N This is a rewrite of "Off the Grid," generally the same story, but enough changes to make it a brand-new tale. I'd never liked how rushed it felt or lacking in details. I've worked on this 5K or so words for the past couple of weeks. Hope you enjoy it. Thanks.**

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><p>A sharp clink of metal is what woke her up, but in her still half-sleep, she couldn't be sure. Half-fuzzy memories came to her of where she should be. Warm in her sleeping bag and tent, making full use of the last of the clear weather in Washington State Forest to pad out her photography portfolio.<p>

Another clink, loud and sharp, and too near for comfort, had her brain clearing away the fuzz of sleep, and Annie began taking inventory of her waking surroundings. A dull pain sprang forth at the back of her head as consciousness came forward, and she squinted against it. Had she fallen asleep on a rock? The clink of metal against metal sounded again, and she moaned as the sound seemed to echo through her aching head.

Where the hell was that noise coming from, she thought. Had part of her tent came loose, and a pole was hitting against a rock? Hesitantly, she opened her eyes. What she saw bore no resemblance to the bright blue interior of her tent, so she blinked. Once, twice, three times. Given the dull pain in her head, she didn't think she was dreaming.

Instead of the view of the inside of her tent, she saw the ceiling of a rough log cabin. Too frightened and disoriented to move, her eyes scanned around to see that she was on a couch of some sort along a wall, heavy blankets on top of her. A slight wiggle showed that she was still fully dressed, complete with boots. She forced herself to quell the panic that was rising within her and continued looking around.

The rustic log roof was matched by walls, a heavy door, square windows, and what looked to be a handmade, padded chair beside the couch. She couldn't see anything else without moving her head, so she gathered her strength and turned her neck to see the rest of the room.

She gasped involuntarily as the reason for the sounds that woke her came into view. The cabin was, in fact, exactly that. A one-room dwelling, and she appeared to be in the living room portion. The other end had what looked to be a sink and cabinets, table, a couple of chairs. But it was what was in the center, between her and the table, that made her gasp and shrink within the layer of blankets that covered her body.

In front of a stone fireplace, a man was squatting down, tending to either the fire. The clanking she heard came again as he moved a block and tackle over the flames, a covered cast iron dutch oven hanging from it. He stood then, and Annie's eyes grew wide as she took in his frame. Tall, muscled, but not overly so. Boots covered his feet, and he wore heavy jeans and a thick flannel gray shirt. Had she not been overly terrified of her situation and how she got to be there, Annie would have appreciated his longish wavy brown hair and chiseled jawbone that showed beneath what looked to be a day or two's growth of beard, but she'd heard and seen enough horror stories to stay on guard.

"You're awake."

Her eyes grew wider as he approached, and she attempted to shrink back into the couch, but she truly had nowhere to go. "Who are you?" she asked, wincing at how frightened her voice came out.

The soft light from the window brought his features into view. His mouth was something of a hard line, but she was drawn to his eyes. The rest of him matched the harsh, rustic lines of the cabin, but his eyes were soft and compassionate. Keeping her own gaze locked with his, she let out a breath and attempted to relax.

"August. Yours?"

"Annie. Annie Walker."

He crouched down next to the couch. "How do you feel?"

She frowned a bit in confusion. "My head hurts."

He nodded and reached his hands out to her head. She held her breath as his fingers felt along her scalp. Well, she thought, if he were intent on doing her harm, he wouldn't start by asking how she felt and assessing her injuries. Which, as far as she could tell, weren't much. All she felt was disoriented and tired. Until his strong, calloused fingers reached the back of her head.

Her breath hissed out as the dull pain flared up again. He instructed her to tilt her head so he could look at her injury closer. "Well, your skin's not broken, but it's a bit swollen. Are you dizzy?"

She shook her head in his hands.

"Nauseous? Double vision?"

She shook her head again.

"If you can do that without throwing up, I'm okay with it. Now that you're awake, though, I should check to see if you're hurt anywhere else."

He stood then and pulled the blankets off of her, causing Annie to shrink back into the couch again.

"Take it easy," he said. He dropped the blankets on the chair and turned back to her.

"Wait a minute," Annie said, holding up her hand. "How - how did I get here? What happened?"

He sighed and grabbed the blankets again, dropping them on the floor before dropping into the chair himself. "What do you remember?"

She frowned at his question-for-an-answer, but replied, "I'm on assignment. I've been in the state for about a month, taking pictures throughout the forests. I'd been driving and setting up camp in various areas. I was hoping to squeeze in the last few days before the weather set in."

She motioned out to the window as she said that, and her mouth dropped open. She thought frantically back to what she remembered prior to waking up here on the couch. The weather was cool, but the wind and air held the nip of oncoming snow. But she'd been following the weather forecast, and the snowflakes she saw falling outside weren't supposed to be here until -

"What's today?" she asked, already knowing the answer, but dreading to hear it, all the same.

"Thursday."

She closed her eyes and settled back onto the pillow. With a shake of her head, she continued, "I'd planned on one more day. I was pushing it, but there were a couple of shots I still wanted to get." Then, as the memories of what she now knew to be yesterday came to the front of her mind, she said, "The sun was setting, and the light was so beautiful. I don't know what I tripped over, a root or a hollow in the ground. I remember my foot slipping, a flash of pain in my ankle, and then falling. I guess I hit my head when I fell and got knocked out. Maybe a few times I woke up, but I guess I'd attributed what I'd seen or felt to dreaming and fell back asleep."

"You're pretty lucky, you know that?"

Annie scoffed. "Don't know how lucky I can be. I slept outdoors, exposed, with a probable concussion and broken ankle." She took a deep breath and opened her eyes again. "That was yesterday evening. When did you find me?"

"Around noon. Right before the snow started falling. Making a final walk around my land. Found you about a mile away."

"And you carried me all the way here?"

His up-until-now stern countenance softened slightly as he half-laughed and said, "You'd rather me have left you there?"

"No, no, of course not. I'm sorry. Thank you, August. I'd probably be close to dead now if you hadn't saved me," she said sincerely.

The smile slipped from his face as quickly as it had come, and Annie began to miss it immediately. He waved her gratitude away and got up again, moving this time to the end of the couch. "Which ankle?"

"Huh?"

"You said you felt a pain in your ankle. Which one was it?"

"The right one," Annie replied. Since waking up, she'd remained still, partly in terror, and then because she was comfortable and warm. Now, though, as he lifted her booted foot, she became aware of a twinge of pain. "Do you think it's broken?"

"Won't be able to tell until I look, though if it is, I'm not sure what can be done," he replied.

He held her calf steady while untying the boot, and then easing it off. "What do you mean, you don't know what can be done?"

"Look outside, Annie. Yeah, you were lucky I found you, but I don't know what kind of luck you have now."

She looked past him to the window where she'd previously just seen flakes falling, but leaning up on her elbows, she saw what he was referring to. If he'd met her at noon, and it was now a few hours later, the snow was falling thick and fast, and several inches were already on the ground. "Oh, wow."

"Exactly."

He'd slipped her sock off, and Annie didn't want to look for fear of what she'd see, but once his fingers started sliding over her calf, ankle, foot, and toes, she couldn't resist. The outside of her ankle was a riot of color from red to purple that traveled up her calf and down into her foot. August's hands were cool as they slid over the skin, pressing here and there. She hissed in pain as he maneuvered her foot around.

"Nothing's broken. Just looks like a bad sprain. Your boot kept the swelling down, but I'm still going to ice it and wrap it."

He then stood and walked away, disappearing through into another room. Annie tried to see where he was going, but her foot, now unencumbered by her heavy boot, protested the movement. The events of the past few minutes swirled through her head, and she lay back down to discern it. In her foolhardy attempt to get "one more sunset," she now lay, injured, in a stranger's cabin while the snow fell heavy outside. A few more minutes passed before August came back.

He pulled up the heavy padded chair and took her foot into his lap. "I know it hurts, but try to stay still."

"I'll try."

He didn't reply and set about tightly wrapping the Ace bandage with smooth and sure movements. Annie wasn't anything close to a medical professional, but she recognized skill and practice when she saw it, and she wondered how or where he'd learned how to diagnose and treat her injuries. It was on the tip of her tongue to ask, but he'd finished by tucking the end of the bandage into itself and placing her leg back onto the couch.

"That'll do for now. Supper should be done soon. I've only got coffee to drink. Do you want some now, or you want to hit the bathroom first?"

"Oh, now that you mention it, the bathroom would be welcome right now, but there's no need to feed me. If we're going to get out of here, shouldn't we leave as soon as possible?" Annie asked, easing herself into a sitting position. Her hair, once in a tight braid, was a mess of knots, and she reached back to undo the mess.

"Get out of here? What are you talking about?"

Her hands stopped in position, and she blinked up at him. "Well, I appreciate everything you've done. Not sure how I'll ever repay you, but if you could just drive me back to my rental, I can get out of your hair."

He stared at her hard for several seconds before that elusive smile twisted his lips again, and he gave out a harsh laugh. Annie gave up on her hair and let her hands drop to her lap as she tried to figure out what exactly she said was so funny.

"Annie, look outside," he said.

"I did," she insisted. "That's why I'm thinking we shouldn't be wasting time here."

"Wow, for someone who spent a month hiking and camping all over Washington State, you really have no knowledge of this area, do you?"

"What are you talking about?"

He took a deep breath and said, "It started snowing while I was carrying you back. It's not going to stop snowing until tomorrow or the day after. I don't know where on the highway you think you left your car, but it's 20 miles on private, unpaved road that is now snow-covered to get to that highway. It's going to be dark in about an hour and a half, and there is no way we can leave here, get you to safety, and get me back here. Understand?"

It took a few seconds to let everything that August was saying sink in, and when it did dawn on her that she was, in effect, stuck here for more than an hour or two, Annie sank back into the couch and shut her eyes. Her campsite was probably gone, ravaged and torn apart by the wind and blowing snow. Her rental car snowed in and more than likely reported as stolen since she was supposed to turn it in by noon today. Her body was battered, and although her "savior" was so far a gentleman, he was, in all actuality, a stranger that she was stuck with for the near future.

She was somewhere in between crying or letting forth a primal scream of frustration when her world dipped and tilted again. Her eyes flew open, and it was only by her good reflexes that her shot out and around August's neck as she realized he'd walked over and picked her up bridal style.

"What are you doing?"

"You said you had to use the bathroom," he said, shifting his arms a bit under her back and knees.

"Oh, right." Annie didn't think she was that much of a lightweight, but the ease with which August held and carried her the dozen or so steps across the room had her thinking of the mile he'd apparently carried her from where she fell to here. "Thanks," she said softly, a smile of chagrin coming over her face.

He grunted a reply before shouldering open the door she'd seen him go through before for the Ace bandage. The inside looked much the same as the rest of the cabin, but more high-end than Annie had expected to see in a rustic cabin bathroom. The interior just barely fit the two of them, but he slowly lowered her to her feet - well, good foot - and stayed until she got her balance on the sink counter.

"Shout when you're ready, and I'll help you back."

With that, he shut the door behind her and left her alone.

Annie stared at the rough, wood-hewn door for a few seconds before taking a deep breath and hopping on her good foot over to the toilet. Luckily, the room was small, so there wasn't much chance of her falling. She was able to do her business and readjust her clothing without much problem. The sink, counter, and toilet took up one side of the room while a shower stood in the opposite corner. She longed to strip off her clothes and step into it, but doing so with a knot on the back of her head and a foot that resembled an abstract painting wouldn't be the best idea.

She hopped over to the sink and wet a cloth that was sitting there. A quick wipe of her hands and face would have to do for now. And then she looked up to see her reflection in the square foot mirror hung on the wall. Her hair that she'd tried to tame a few minutes ago was beyond just pulling back, so she let it completely down. Borrowing Auggie's comb that lay there seemed pushy, so she finger-combed it as best she could, careful to avoid the knot on her scalp and secured it as tight as she could.

Her foot was throbbing at this point, so she quickly wiped as much dust and debris as she could off of her face, neck, and hands. She longed for a change of clothes, but they weren't that dirty. Her coat must've taken the brunt of her sleeping on the forest floor. August must've removed it before settling her on the couch.

Hopping around to the door, she opened it a crack. "August?"

He came back and before she could protest, swung her back up into his arms. She was more prepared this time for it, though, and looped her arm around his shoulders. A few strides took them back over to the couch.

While she was in the bathroom, he'd made a few changes. A small table had been pulled over between the couch and chair, and two large bowls of what looked to be hearty stew sat on them along with a few hunks of bread. But what caught Annie's attention was a dark green backpack that sat on the floor.

"Oh, thank goodness. I thought I'd lost it," she said.

"It might have saved you from a harder fall, I think, given the way you were laying. Kept part of you up off the ground."

He dropped down onto the chair, picked up his bowl, and began to eat hungrily. Though Annie longed to go through her bag and see what survived her fall, she copied him and picked up her own bowl.

From the time she'd woken until now, her growling stomach reminded her that she hadn't eaten for over a day. A thick stew of meat, vegetables, and soup greeted her eyes and nose, and she moaned at the first bite.

"Oh, my God, this is good," she mumbled around a mouthful.

"Don't eat too fast. I'm still not convinced you don't have a mild concussion," August admonished, picking up a hunk of bread to dip into his stew.

She nodded and tried to slow down. But soon enough, both the bread and stew were gone, and she sat back, feeling better than she had since she woke up.

"You're done?"

She nodded, so August picked up their dishes and headed over to the kitchen area. By this time, the light had grown dim outside, both from the setting sun and the blowing snow masking any light that could have cut through. The fire lit up the interior enough for her to still see, so Annie set her backpack onto the small table and opened it.

The only thing she left at the campsite were her tent and sleeping bag, so her extra set of clothes, toiletries, and most importantly, her camera equipment were all tucked away inside. She removed it and began checking it over when a harsh crackle of static sounded from across the room.

August sat at the wooden table and was turning a crank on what looked to be a radio, the metal antenna pointed up and towards the window. He spun it for about a minute and then sat it down in front of him. Through the radio static, a computerized, almost robotic voice echoed through the room.

She couldn't follow the technical speak at first, but as the message went on and began to repeat, the meaning became clear. Auggie was writing in a notebook during the entire broadcast, and as it repeated in full one more time, he switched the device off and turned to her.

"You heard all that?" he asked.

She nodded. "Snow, snow, more snow, severe winter storm warning?"

He blinked at her, then said, "In a nutshell, yes, but more specifically, the first storm of the year has arrived. Several feet of snow and blowing wind, accompanied by below-zero temperatures."

His gaze on her was unwavering, making Annie feel worse than she already did. "I'm sorry," she said automatically.

"You control the weather?" he asked dryly.

"No, not for the weather, but for dropping in on your life like this." She looked down at the camera in her hands and scoffed at herself. "If I hadn't been so adamant about getting a picture of one last sunset, you know? I'd been in the area for days. Already had a few dozen photographs."

"You on vacation or something?" He walked over to the fire and began stoking it a bit more. The light brightened up the room with its orange glow.

"No, I'm a freelance photographer. Currently on assignment." She stuffed the camera back in her pack and set it off to the side. Between the pain in her head and ankle, the sound of the wind whistling outside, and the newfound knowledge that she was now stuck in a stranger's cabin for the near future, she felt no compunction to check to see if her camera still worked. At this point, it was last on her list of current worries.

"You should keep your ankle elevated," he said.

Annie shifted on the couch to raise her leg alongside her, wincing at the twinge.

"I'm making coffee, if you want some. Only got sugar, unless you want some milk powder."

"Black will be fine," Annie said.

August nodded then pulled a metal carafe from the fireplace. He stood and walked over to the kitchen area again. She noticed as he did so the frown on his face and hitch in his step as if he were favoring his left leg.

"You didn't hurt yourself bringing me up here, did you?" she asked.

"What?"

"You're limping. Great. Not only am I intruding on you here, I hurt you in the process."

"No, you didn't."

He brought two mugs over and handed her one. "Are you sure?"

"I've been limping for a few years. The extra work carrying you here and onset of cold weather's just aggravating an old injury is all."

He then went quiet, both verbally and physically, sitting down in the recliner and sipping his own coffee. Annie's curiosity ate at her to ask what the injury was, but the look on his face told her he wouldn't be any more forthcoming with details.

As they sipped their coffee, the fire's crackling and wind whistling filled the cabin, accompanied by the odd creak of the cabin's pine logs. Annie was used to camping out in the open, but by the time the snow flies, she'd normally head back home to the East Coast to her heated and electric-enabled apartment.

"There's not anybody waiting for you, is there?"

"No. I travel by myself, and my friends and family know I'm pretty nomadic. It'll be a while before anyone files a missing person's report."

He stared at her in disbelief. "Really?"

"Yes, really. Why would I lie?"

He shrugged. "If you are reported missing, they'll track your movements, send out search parties. I wouldn't want search crews out there risking their lives for no reason."

Annie nodded. "Oh, I see what you mean. Truly, August, no one's looking for me." He still didn't look satisfied, though. "The only person that could be looking for me is the rental car people. I was supposed to have it dropped off by noon today. Heck, I was supposed to be on an airplane right now."

"Who'd you rent the car from?"

Annie told him that she'd gotten it from the Hertz Rent a Car when she flew into Seattle and had been driving up and around the North Cascades and Mt. Baker for the past few weeks.

"I don't know what their policy is if you don't return it, but maybe somebody found it already? I parked on the side of North Cascades Highway."

"Whether they find it or not, I'm assuming they know you're not in it and not where you're supposed to be." He took a deep breath and drained his coffee mug. "I'll be back in a bit."

Before Annie could ask where he was going, he'd pulled on a heavy coat and a wool cap and wrenched open the heavy wood door and walked outside. A gust of cold air and a flurry of snow crept in before he could close it, and Annie shivered. Though the fire was warm, she now knew why August had laid so many blankets on her. At that moment, she yearned for her high-end, expensive sleeping bag she'd left in her tent.

She wasn't sure why he left, but it gave her some privacy to change clothes now that she had her backpack. By laying out flat on the couch, she was able to get out of her jeans and pull her thermals on. She usually slept in them, anyway. Her sweater and top went the same way, and she pulled on her thick socks.

She sat and drank the rest of her coffee. No clock was visible, but she figured it'd been about 15 to 20 minutes, and August still hadn't come back. The light from outside was almost nonexistent, and she was hesitant to get up without the aid of crutches.

After repacking her backpack, checking her cellphone - still operational, but no signal - and taking in a visual tour of the cabin, Annie began to worry. He never said where he was going, and she was sure he wouldn't strand her there by herself, would he? Her eyes kept going toward her boots. If she put them on and laced the right one tight enough, she'd be able to limp pretty good, maybe.

Her coat was hung up next to where August's was, and she was staring at it hard, wondering if she should go look for him, when the door beside it banged open. Another blast of cold and flurry of snow accompanied August as he quickly came in and shut the door. His feet stamped hard, and he shook himself to rid the snow that'd settled on his shoulders and head before taking off his coat.

Annie sighed in relief and settled back onto the couch, mindful to pull the right foot up onto the couch. He didn't say anything yet, only went straight to the fire and crouched down, raising his hands to the warmth.

"Temperature's dropping fast," he said, never looking away from the flames.

"Were you getting more wood?" she asked.

"Nope. Let me thaw out a minute."

Now that he was safe back in the cabin, Annie's worries were settled, so she grabbed one of the blankets from the pile she was sleeping under and pulled it over her lap. Her thermals were high-end and extremely warm, but the blast of cold air from the door had chilled the air considerably.

After a few minutes, he stood and, favoring his "good" leg even more, walked towards her and dropped down into the chair. Annie automatically grabbed up one of the blankets and handed it to him. He looked at the blanket, then her with an odd look on his face, before accepting it and laying it across his lap.

"I've got a CB radio in my truck. Took a while before I could raise anybody."

"Okay."

"Got a hold of somebody in the nearest town. They've still got power and phone, and he said he'd get in touch with Hertz for you and make sure you don't get in any trouble for it."

"Oh, my gosh, thank you so much, August! That takes such a weight off of my mind." If she didn't have the sprained ankle, she'd have given him a hug. Then again, maybe not. The scowl was back on his face, so she settled back on the couch and tried to remain as unobstrusive as possible.

"Auggie."

She looked from the fire she'd been staring into back at him. "What?"

"People call me Auggie."

She smiled wide, and, as his eyes met hers, said, "Auggie, then."

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><p><strong>AN What do you think? Better than the original? Please review.**


	2. Chapter 2

The next morning, Annie woke again to a loud sound, but found she wasn't as disoriented or in as much pain as she was nearly 18 hours ago. Her accommodations were the same as the previous morning - laid out on her back on a rustic, extremely comfortable couch covered with many blankets that protected her from the chilled air.

And given the cooler breeze that wafted over her now, coupled with the bang that woke her, Auggie had just now gone outside.

She glanced around to see a fire roaring in the hearth and an empty space beside the door where his coat hung. Light shone through the window behind the couch and the other opposite beside the kitchen table, but given the recent weather, she didn't know if it was sunlight or snow glare. She took a deep breath and stretched the last of the sleep out of her muscles.

Her wrenched ankle gave a bit of protest at the movement, but she didn't give it much thought beyond arranging her foot back up on the pillow it'd slipped off of during sleeping. Since she was alone for the moment, her thoughts drifted back to last night. Auggie, her benefactor and savior, sat with her a little bit after they'd eaten supper and drank their coffee.

She'd hoped he'd open up with a bit of conversation - or at least break the almost-oppressive silence - but beyond answering a few questions, he did nothing but keep her company and stare into the fire. All she learned was that he lived here alone, year 'round, and had done so for the past five years. He had family, but they lived in Illinois, and past calling them at least once a year when he went to town for provisions, he hadn't seen them since.

So many more questions ran through her mind, then and now, but her tiredness, and his worsening mood as the night wore on had her saying good night and grabbing the rest of the blankets to snuggle down into her "bed." Auggie took the one she'd handed him and laid it across her, mumbling a quiet "good night."

She stayed awake for a few minutes after watching him tamp down the fire and climbing the stairs to what she figured was his bedroom in the open loft. Her natural curiosity wondered about him and for him, but soon her battered body had her eyes closing, and she'd drifted off to sleep.

By the sounds outside, Auggie was clearing snow off the roof and around the cabin. Even if she could help him, she doubted he'd welcome her presence. Annie usually made friends quite easily, and Auggie's gruff nature put her off somewhat. There was only so many times a person could say thank you. And since he wasn't receptive to friendly conversation, then maybe something more concrete would be accepting.

Her mind made up, Annie eased herself out into a sitting position, careful not to wrench her ankle any further. Her thermals covered her from neck to foot, and the room was warm enough, but she pulled on her socks and a sweater.

A push broom stood next to the wall by her, so with a few ungraceful hops and hanging onto the couch, she grabbed it up to use as a crutch of sorts. Though she didn't mind Auggie's bridal-style mode of transportation, the sight of him limping last night put her mind off that.

With her backpack slung across her shoulder, she hopped/broomed across the room to the table in the kitchen area. Now that she was seeing the place in daylight and not from across the room, she took in a rustic sink and stove. He'd cooked their food and made coffee over the fire last night, so she wondered at their usefulness.

She let herself down into one of the chairs and used the push broom to pull the other one over so she could elevate her ankle that'd start to throb with her exertions. Exhaling deeply, she set her backpack on the table and began to unpack. Maybe sharing her supplies, meager as they were, would settle Auggie's gruff demeanor.

15 minutes later, Auggie came back inside, bringing a gust of bitter air with him. Annie hid a laugh at the sight of him. It seemed all the snow he'd knocked off the roof settled on him and his shoulders. Stamping his feet and giving an all-over shake to dislodge the loosest of the snow, he then took off his heavy coat and hung it up.

Annie still sat the table, her backpack by her seat that only held now her clothes and personal items. The rest of her supplies she laid out on the table.

"Good morning," she offered.

Auggie's head swung in the direction of the couch, then swung again to the kitchen table. "Morning," he replied. "Did you crawl over there?"

"Nope, I borrowed your broom as a crutch," she said, picking it up to show him. "Do you need it back to get the snow off of you?"

Her attempt at lightening the situation worked as his face light up with a smile. Not full-on, but enough to soften his eyes and remove what she had nearly convinced herself to be a permanent scowl. His feet stamped on the ground to clear them of snow, then he walked over to the fire and squatted down, his hands stretched out to its warmth.

"What do you got over there?"

Any attempt at an answer was stifled at the sight of Auggie's jean-clad thighs and butt staring right at her. She'd taken note of his attractiveness last night, but it was dark, and she was in pain and discombobulated, to say the least. Now, in the light of day and glow of the fire, Auggie, her mountain savior, looked like he'd stepped off the pages of "GQ." Well, "GQ" if they were running a feature on jeans and plaid.

After a few silent seconds passed after he'd spoken, she shook herself and replied, "A peace offering."

He turned towards her. "Peace offering?" he parroted.

"Yeah, to sort of pay you back for saving my life and giving me shelter."

He sighed as he stood and walked over to the table. As her ankle was taking over the other kitchen chair, he stood to the side and looked over all the items she'd laid out. "This really isn't necessary," he said. "I've laid in more than enough supplies for winter and can afford to share some out."

Before he could turn away, Annie slid her foot off the chair and pushed it toward him. "Please. I insist."

His eyes met hers - brown to brown, she noted, though his were warmer, a more chocolate brown to her dark - and he nodded and sat down. Before she could say thank you, though, he'd reached down and grabbed hold of her foot, pull it back up and setting it on his thigh. "I told you to keep this elevated." He then began to pick up and go over everything she'd dumped out of her backpack.

Annie, however, sat staring at his lap where her leg lay, the sock and Ace bandaged covered ankle pressed against his muscled thigh. The cold that still stuck to the jean material soothed her sprain, but that wasn't what had her mouth hanging open slightly. As standoffish and grumpy as Auggie had been since yesterday, this intimate gesture was a complete 180.

He glanced over at her, and she shook herself again from staring at him - twice in a matter of minutes - to the table. "I've got a couple changes of clothes and my personal items, but everything else is yours to use," she said.

"I'd say it's not necessary, but you'd insist, right?"

Annie nodded.

"Then let's see what you have here. The first-aid stuff you can add to mine." His fingers then slid over to her Swiss Army knife. The various blades slid open and clicked shut as he investigated it. "Nice. You can keep this. I have my own, and you should never go anywhere without a good tool or weapon."

Soon, the items were in two different piles, and though Annie wanted to argue that more things could be added to the "give to Auggie" pile, she didn't want to push him much further. She put the knife and rest of the items back into her backpack while Auggie stood - putting her leg back onto the chair - and put away the rest.

"I'll clear out one of these for you. No need for you to live out of your backpack while you're here," Auggie said.

It was then that Annie noticed that the wall beside the bathroom door wasn't really a solid wall at all, but was made up of inlaid drawers and cabinets. They were so ingrained into the wood that they looked almost invisible. In fact, the entire cabin, though rustic and rough, was designed meticulously well to hide a series of cabinet fronts. Also from the kitchen table, Annie was able to see the loft that a ladder led up to. It's where she saw him disappear last night, but now lay cloaked in shadows.

Her natural curiosity made her itch with want to open every cupboard and explore every nook and cranny of the cabin that seemed to hide more secrets than it showed.

"If you want to use the bathroom, I'll get our breakfast going."

Now that Annie had her personal toiletries, she decided to take him up on his offer. If anything, she really needed to brush her teeth.

* * *

><p>Once their breakfast of apple-infused oatmeal, they sat at the kitchen table sipping coffee. "So, how much snow do you think we've got out there?" Annie asked.<p>

"23 inches so far. Wind gusts are creating snow drifts, which are dangerous, but serve to insulate the buildings from the wind and harsher cold. It's stopped for now, but we should get another foot or so within the next week."

He said it with such matter-of-factness that Annie sat staring at him, the coffee cup halfway to her mouth as she took in everything he'd said. "Are - is that normal for around here? I mean, it's only October."

"We're on the side of a mountain near the Canadian border. Winter comes early around here."

The sudden knot in Annie's stomach had her setting the coffe back down on the table. "Wow. I had no idea."

"Didn't you check the weather before you headed out?"

"Yeah, I saw they said snow was coming, but I'd planned on being out before it got here." Her eyes glanced from the thick white mug to the window beside them. The four glass panes were thick with frost, and she lifted a hand to wipe some away.

"You'll be safe here, Annie."

She glanced back at him. His look hadn't changed from guarded and distant, but she saw a touch of concern in his eyes. "I know. I - it's just a lot to take in. I guess it's no picnic for you, either."

He shrugged in reply.

Her mouth opened to press him, but she couldn't bring herself to grill him for more personal information. Observation showed her that he was single, late 20s if not early 30s, never married, no children, had a limp that aggravated him but he ignored, and lived alone on the side of a mountain in a cabin big enough for one - two in a pinch.

She'd said thank you so many times that the words seemed hollow now, and given his reluctant acceptance of her supplies, she decided that actions more than words would probably work better. That idea in mind, she shifted in her chair to grab the push broom/crutch.

"Finish your coffee."

"Huh?"

"Rule number one. I don't waste food," Auggie said, pointing at her mug.

She settled back down and dutifully picked up the coffee. "Your cabin, your rules," she said with a smirk.

His eyes glinted back at hers with a hint of laughter as they both drank.

Once she drained hers, she sat the mug back onto the table and grabbed the push broom again. "Any more rules I should know about?" she asked as she gingerly stood and gained her balance.

"We'll see."

* * *

><p>Not wanting to upset his order and duties any more than she already had, Annie tried for the rest of the day to keep out of his way while keeping busy herself. He had cleared out one of the drawers for her to use, and she filled it with her extra clothes.<p>

Her injuries kept her from moving around much, but she set about straightening the place, cleaning what she could, and keeping her bed/couch neat. Even though she'd been putting it off, once mid-afternoon hit, and she was out of obvious chores to do, she pulled her camera out of her backpack. She should have been happy that it survived the fall, but it was her decision to push her luck to get that "one last picture" that put her in the position she was in now.

But she was here and would, eventually, get out and back to her life and work, so it would be prudent to keep working.

She'd been scanning through them and making notes for a couple of hours when she noticed that Auggie was standing in front of her.

"Oh, sorry," she said, setting aside her work. "Were you talking to me? I was concentrating, and -"

"I wanted to look at your ankle and rewrap it," he said.

She nodded and hastily gathered all of her work and set it aside. She'd dutifully kept her leg elevated on the couch the entire time and hoped the swelling and bruising would look better. Auggie lifted her calf and removed the stack of blankets, settling himself in their place and her calf across his thighs. They'd been in somewhat the same position this morning at the kitchen table, but Annie thought this was much more intimate.

Blinking her thoughts away from how handsome Auggie was, she focused on her ankle and foot that was slowly coming into view as he peeled away her thick sock and unwrapped the Ace bandage.

* * *

><p><em>TBC<em>


End file.
